Humidifier for internal-combustion-engine fuel.



G. E. BARKSDALE. HUMIDIFIER POE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE FUEL,

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1913.

Patntd Dec. 1, 1914.

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GEORGE-E. BARKSDALE. OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

HUMHHFIER FOB INTER'I AL-COMBUSTION-ENGINE FUEL.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. '1, 191%..

Application filed November 7, 1913. Serial No. 799,722.

To tiller/701:1 it may concern Be it known that l. Gnonon a citizen of the l'nitcd States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and" State of Virginia. have invented new and useful Improvements in Humidifiers for Internal-Comhustion-Engine Fuel, of which Qt-he following is a specification.

This invention relates .to a device for introducing moisture laden air into the vaporized fuel as itpasses from the carburetei to the intake of an internal combustion engine, and has for its object to economize in the consumption of fuel, minimize carbonization in the combustion chamher of the engine and increase the power of the engine proportionately to the amount of fuel consumed. i

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device which may be applied to all forms of internal combustion engines, and a device whi h may be adjusted to introduce the proper amount of moistened air to the vaporized fuel ilt't'tfi'dlllg to the desired speed of the engine.

The invention also aims at the production of a device wherein heated water or other liquid. in the radiator of an automobile or the like. may be. utilized for moistening the air and raising the temperature of the air so that warm n'ioistened air may be llltlOtlllLQ-tl into the fuel vapor.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will. appear from the following de scription of the present and preferred embodiment of the invention, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawingwherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, partly in section. and as applied to the manifold of an internal combustion engine. Fig. '2 is a detail sectional view of the humidifier, parts of the same being broken away. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the upper end of the device. showing the same adjusted to cut oil the supply of moistened air, and Fig. -l is a similar view disclosing the device partly open to admit a. small quantity of moistened air to the manifold.

In Fig. 1 there conventionally shown an internal combustion engine 10 having con nected to the intake thereof a. manifold f1 leading from a carbureter,-not shown. A radiator 12 is also disclosed which, in the usual manner supplies the jackets of the in- E. BARKSDALE,

ternal combustion engine 10 with a cooling liquid.

The device of this invention comprises a preferably tubular body 13 having an externally threaded. lower end 1% for engagement through one of the walls of the manifold 11. preferably at the juncture of the arms of the manifold as shown in Fig. 1. The tubular body 13 carries about its lower end and spaced slightly above the manifold 10 a cup'15 closed at its top and having connection by a pipe 10 with the radiator 12, a

valve 1? being placed in the pipe 16 to regulate the low of the fluid from the radiator 12 into the cup 15. The tubular body 13 is provided in its walls, and above the cup 1! with a plurality of relatively small openings or perforations 18 communicating with the interior of the body and'through the same. with the manifold 11. *Iightly fitting over the body 13 and adapted to slide or turn thereon is a tubular slee\e 19 extending down into the cup 15 and having openings or perforathms 20 in its walls adapted at times to register with the openings or perforations 18 in the body 13 when the sleeve 12) is moved. The body 13 and the sleeve 15 are closed at their upper ends, and the sleeve 19 is provided prefcrabl y upon its up' per end with a laterally extending arm 21 connected to an operating rod extending to any suitable point from which. it is desired to adjust the device. The rod may be connected to the steering post of an autolll'OlHlt. to the dash thereof, or may extend to anypoint near the'ope 'ator controlling the engine, dependent upon the use for which the engine is adapted.

' The sleeve 19 is provided with a preferably exterior covering of absorbent material which entirely covers the sleeve 19 and extends therewith down into the cup 15. This covering. indicated at in the drawings, acts as a wick and raises the water or fluid in the cup 1 5 by capillary attraction to the top of thesleeve and effects the thorough saturation of the covering 23. v

In use the device is adjusted, as shown in Fig. 3, when it is not desired to introduce the moistened air into the manifold 11. It will-be notedthat the arm 21 is in position to hold the sleeve 19 to keep the openings from the device. When it is desired to ino 4 intake 11.

troduce moistened air into the manifoldthe arm 21 is moved into the position disclosed in dotted lines in. Fig. 4. In this latter position the sleeve lfiis turned so as to partly register the openings 18 and 20 with each other admitting fine streams of air interior of the tubular body 13 which streams of air are drawn through the moistened wick or covering 23 effecting the-moistening of the air by the. liquid absorbed. The sleeve 19 is ad usted to more or less register the openings 18 and 20 so as to admit a greater or less amount of air to the Preferably, the cup 15 is con' nected to the radiator 12, as shown, so that the heated water or fluid in the radiator passes to the cup 15 by gravity, and, since the Water in the cup 15 is heated and is absorbed by the covering 23, the air passing through the covering is raised in temperature and a heated and moistened stream of air is thus drawn into the manifold 11 to intermngle with the vaporized fuel passing to the cylinders. In this manner the air drawn in through this device does not act to chill the fuel'vapor but, after the Water in the radiator has become warm, acts to raise the temperature of the fuel vapor.

I It is to'be understood that any suitable water supply tank other'than the radiator 12 may be employed if found more desirable or convenient and that various other modiiications may be made in the detail construction of the device, the same being limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

hat is claimed is 1. A humidifier comprising a hollow body having perforations in its upper end, a

liquid container surrounding the lower end of said body, a sleeve surrounding the body and having perforations in its upper end adapted to register with the perforations in the body whereby air is admitted through the perforations into the body, and an absorbent covering carried about said sleeve to the ma ear and engaging at its lower end in said liquid container.

2. A humidifier comprising -a hollow body, a sleeve surrounding thebody, a wick surrounding the sleeve, said body and said sleeve having perforations therein, means for turning the sleeve on the body adapted to register the respective perforations in the body and the sleeve, a liquid container surrounding the lower end of the wick, and a supply tank communicating with the liquid container to supply liquid to the same.

A humidifier comprising a perforated hollow body, an outer perforated member engaging the body, operating means for moving said member to register the perforations therein with the perforations in the body, an absorbent covering engaging over the perforations of the member, and means for supplying a liquid to said covering.

4. A device vof the character described comprising ahollow body adaptcd for communication withthe manifold of an internal combustion engine, a movable member surrounding the body, a wick inclosing said member, said body and said member having openings therein, means for adjusting said member relative to the body to register said opening whereby to admit air through said wick and said opening-t0 the interior of the body, a liquid container surrounding the lower end of the wick, and means for supplying heated water to said container, said wick being adapted to absorb the heated water whereby the air passing-through the wick and the body is heated,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Gnonen n. BARKSDALE.

VVitnessesr- A. R. MoCALnnY,

Roenns. 

